Amid efforts to make pilgrimage easier for the disabled, the Presidency
of the Two Holy Mosques has provided 12,000 standard wheelchairs and 110
electric wheelchairs free of charge for their movement inside the
mosque.
The standard wheelchairs are available at offices at the Eastern Square and the Ajayd. The powered versions are supplied from the Al-Safa office on the first floor where 521 wheelchairs are also available on rent, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“A number of volunteers are also ready to push wheelchairs around the clock,” said Director of Wheelchairs Administration at the Grand Mosque Muslih Al-Mahmadi.
Wheelchairs allow worshippers into the mosque through 10 gates such as the King Abdul Aziz, the Ajyad New, the Honain, Al-Safa, Arqam Escalator, Al-Marwah Escalator and Al-Marwah.
When the Tawaf Bridge is formally opened today all the wheelchairs will be allowed to enter the Mataf Bridge though the Ajyad bridge and exit through the New Qushasha bridge at the Al-Marwa side of the Grand Mosque.
The Haram police, emergency forces and Civil Defense will help regulate wheelchair-bound pilgrims when the Mataf Bridge is opened.
He added that the presidency and the wheelchair administration have jointly taken steps to curb the practice of some unlicensed wheelchair pushers charging high rates from pilgrims, especially at peak hours.
He also called on all the wheelchair users to keep their own tracks on the mataf in order not to obstruct the smooth flow of circumambulation.
The standard wheelchairs are available at offices at the Eastern Square and the Ajayd. The powered versions are supplied from the Al-Safa office on the first floor where 521 wheelchairs are also available on rent, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“A number of volunteers are also ready to push wheelchairs around the clock,” said Director of Wheelchairs Administration at the Grand Mosque Muslih Al-Mahmadi.
Wheelchairs allow worshippers into the mosque through 10 gates such as the King Abdul Aziz, the Ajyad New, the Honain, Al-Safa, Arqam Escalator, Al-Marwah Escalator and Al-Marwah.
When the Tawaf Bridge is formally opened today all the wheelchairs will be allowed to enter the Mataf Bridge though the Ajyad bridge and exit through the New Qushasha bridge at the Al-Marwa side of the Grand Mosque.
The Haram police, emergency forces and Civil Defense will help regulate wheelchair-bound pilgrims when the Mataf Bridge is opened.
He added that the presidency and the wheelchair administration have jointly taken steps to curb the practice of some unlicensed wheelchair pushers charging high rates from pilgrims, especially at peak hours.
He also called on all the wheelchair users to keep their own tracks on the mataf in order not to obstruct the smooth flow of circumambulation.
Source : Arab News , 27th July 2013
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